It has so far been a disappointing season for Newcastle, who are still finding it difficult to score goals. Their haul of three goals scored after the opening four league games is the league’s joint-low, with only dead-last Watford netting fewer goals than Steve Bruce’s men. It seems that nothing has changed for Newcastle in the new league campaign after finishing last season as the Premier League’s seventh-worst attacking side.
The club’s record signing, Joelinton, who arrived from TSG Hoffenheim for a reported fee of €44 million in the summer, has so far contributed only one goal although it was a match-winner against Tottenham Hotspur. The 23-year-old striker landed at St James’ Park as a replacement for Ayoze Perez, who left the club to join Leicester City in a €33million deal. Alongside the Brazilian forward, Allan Saint-Maximin, Emil Krafth, and Jetro Willems have all been brought in to help Newcastle improve on the last year’s 13th-place finish.
But, just like last season, Newcastle’s league games lacked goals and entertainment at the beginning of the 2019/20 campaign. Only 47% of Newcastle’s Premier League fixtures last year produced over 2.5 goals, which was the league’s fourth joint-low. Taking their matches in the early stage of this season into account, those stats are unlikely to change anytime soon. Three of their opening four league matches have produced less than three goals, with two of them ending with the identical 1-0 scoreline, each one going the opposite direction.
Sitting 14th ahead of the international break, the Tynesiders seems destined for another mediocre season that will keep them far away from the European promotion zone. According to the bookies, Newcastle will hardly improve on the last season’s finish, with Bet365 placing them at 8/1 (9.00) to finish in the upper half of the table this term. For the ones who rather enjoy spending some fun time away from football venues, free online slots may provide you with the entertainment you are looking for. Meanwhile, the relegation territory seems like a more likely destination for the Magpies, who are given 3/2 (2.50) to finish the season among the three worst sides in the English top flight. But, the die-hard Newcastle United fans may get a nice return should their idols manage to secure a top-six finish, as they are 66/1 (67.00) candidates to make one of the biggest sensations this year.
The Magpies suffered a narrow 1-0 home loss to Arsenal in the Premier League curtain-raiser, producing just two shots on target for the entire 90 minutes. Having failed to bounce back after a slow start to the season, Newcastle continued to provide weak displays losing 3-1 to the newly-promoted Norwich City on the road. But, Newcastle’s best performance of the season came in the third round of the Premier League fixtures, when they walked away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with all three points thanks to Joelinton’s 27th-minute strike. They have, however, failed to build on that success, being held to a 1-1 home draw by Watford on the eve of the international break.
Steve Bruce would be better to take advantage of the international break to turn things around at Newcastle, as they head to Anfield to take on league toppers Liverpool after the players fulfill their international commitments. Not only that Newcastle failed to beat the Reds in their last five Premier League H2Hs, but they’ve lost all of their previous three meetings, conceding 2+ match goals each time (D2, L3). Furthermore, Newcastle’s disastrous record at Anfield in the 21st century can only put more pressure on the traveling side. The Magpies struggled to pick up a win in 18 Premier League trips to Merseyside in the new millennium, barely securing four stalemates in that period (D4, L14).
Therefore, it is nothing strange that Bet365 place the reigning Champions League holders as 7/50 (1.14) favorites to come out on top, rating Newcastle as big underdogs in this clash at 18/1 (19.00). Three clean sheets in 11 Premier League trips since the turn of the year clearly indicate what will be Steve Bruce’s main issue ahead of this game. Newcastle’s fragile backline will face arguably one of the most devastating attacks in Europe, which is why 9/25 (1.36) is given to this match to produce over 2.5 total goals. However, the Magpies have found the net in eight of 12 away games across all competitions in 2019, and they might surprise the Liverpool defense that has struggled to keep a blank slate on three occasions this term. Hence, both teams score at 5/4 (2.25) seems like a gamble worth taking.